Structural supports, such as steel pipes, are hollow tubes that are used for a variety of applications, including vehicle frames and chassis, heating and plumbing systems, flagpoles, building frames and infrastructure, to name a few. Structural supports may be produced by two distinct processes that may result in either a seamless or welded support. Raw metal, such as steel, is first cast into a workable starting form, and then is made into a support (e.g., a pipe) by stretching the steel out into a seamless tube or forcing the edges together and sealing them with a weld. The result is a structural support with uniform diameter and wall thickness.
However, modern production processes for metal supports typically results in sacrificing mass savings for support strength, or vice versa.
Overcoming these concerns would be desirable and could save the industry substantial resources.